As they were herded toward the car, Rocco made a silent vow: he would not allow Jimmy to win.
๐ฎ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฑ๐๐๐๐๐๐
"Open the door for me, Rocco," Jimmy said.
Rocco, Aurelia, Jimmy, and his men had arrived at Jimmy's luxurious mansion and were standing on the porch.ย
"I can't. I'm handcuffed," Rocco replied.
Jimmy snorted. "Oh yeah, I forgot. Xander! Open the door for me."
One of the muscular men, Xander, opened the door while the other man, Zen, firmly held the arms of Aurelia and Rocco. Xander helped Jimmy up the small step into his mansion and Zen pushed Aurelia and Rocco through the door.
Once everyone had entered the mansion, Zen closed and locked the door with a metal padlock.ย
"Take a seat, pets," Jimmy said as he sat down on his blue sofa. He looked at Aurelia and smirked. "What? Don't you want to sit down?"
"Maybe you're talking about the jacked bastards. Rocco and I are not your pets," Aurelia said.
Zen glared at her with a fiery expression. "Excuse you? You better shut that mouth before I shut it for you."
"Oh, pipe down, chode. I know you can't do anything to me because our dearest Jimmy ordered you not to."
"What did you just call me?" Zen yelled as he raised his machine gun.
"I don't like repeating myself."
"Shut it, little girl!" Xander roared. "You have no power here!"
Aurelia rolled her eyes. "Oh, but I do. See how angry I'm making you both? But you can't even do anything about it because your master commanded you not to! And you're just doing as he says like a little bunny! Ha!"
Rocco's eyes widened upon hearing Aurelia's bold comments. The defiance in her voice was both surprising and exhilarating, igniting a spark of joy within him. He could see Xander's face redden with rage, the grip on his machine gun tightening as he struggled to contain his fury. Aurelia's fearless taunting was like a breath of fresh air in the oppressive tension that filled the room.
"You're playing a dangerous game, girl," Xander spat, his voice dripping with venom.
Rocco could feel the tension crackling in the air, and he feared how far Aurelia was pushing him.
But Aurelia stood her ground, unflinching. "Am I? Or are you just too weak to act on your own? Maybe your master doesn't trust you to make decisions. Ouch! That must sting!"
Rocco couldn't help but admire her bravery, even as anxiety twisted in both their stomachs. Her words were a gamble, and he knew that angering someone like Xander could have serious consequences.ย
"Okay Cabrera, you've had your fun," Jimmy said. "That's enough."
"Not until I say it is, asshat," Aurelia hissed. "One day I'll break those scrawny bones of yours and feed them to your pets."
Zen's face contorted with rage. "We are not his pets!" he barked.
Aurelia's lips curled into a smirk. "If you weren't his pets, you wouldn't have thought to answer me."
"You think you're clever, don't you?" Zen sneered, but the bravado in his tone faltered just a bit.
Aurelia gave Zen a dark glare. Even though her dainty hands were in cuffs and his robust ones were cradling a deadly weapon, Zen felt Aurelia's fiery glare melt his ego.
"Clever enough to know that you're not the one in control here. You can act tough, but we both know you're just following orders."
Rocco felt a swell of admiration for Aurelia's courage. She was relentless, but maybeย too relentless. Each bold word she spoke seemed to push the boundaries further, and he couldn't help but worry that her fearless attitude might provoke their captors more than she realized.
"Enough!" Jimmy yelled. "Xander, blow her head off."
Xander smirked, a sinister glint in his eyes. "Gladly, sir."
He leveled the weapon at Aurelia, the barrel gleaming ominously in the dim light.
Rocco's heart raced, a wave of dread crashing over him. Aurelia stood tall, but he could see the tension in her shoulders, the flicker of uneasiness behind her brave facade. This was a moment where everything could shatter, and he couldn't bear the thought of seeing her lifeless body drop to the floor after he had seen his father do the same.
"Wait!" Rocco shouted, desperation spilling from his lips. "You don't want to do this. Think about what it will cost you!"
Xander's expression twisted into a mocking grin. "Oh, I'm sure it'll cost nothing. She's just a stupid girl."
Aurelia met Rocco's gaze, fear flaring in her eyes.
Rocco felt a surge of urgency and anger fill his mind. "You're making a mistake, Xander! If you pull that trigger, I'll make sure to bury you alive."
"You'll do no such thing."
Zen stomped his foot on the ground impatiently. "Hurry up and kill her before I do itย for you!"
"No," Jimmy said firmly. "I've changed my mind. I'm going to kill her, and I will let no one take that satisfaction from me."
"I'll make you regret not murdering me now," Aurelia muttered. Her voice trembled but her message still hung in the air.
Jimmy simply laughed at her attempt to scare him. "You're adorable, just like your little friend," he smirked. "Now listen up. I have a meeting with Ray Tempul to attend."
Rocco frowned. "Ray Tempul? The President?"
"Yes. I will go to the White House to speak to him."
Yes! Rocco and I may have a chance to escape! Aurelia thought.ย
Her hopeful eyes must've conveyed her thoughts because Jimmy's smirk widened.
"Don't even think about escaping. Every exit of this mansion is locked with a heavy padlockโeven the windows. Even if you somehow manage to open the windows or doors, an alarm will sound, and I will be notified via my phone. I will call all my men in and around Nevada to search for you, and you will be found."
Rocco shuddered at Jimmy's words as a chill crept down his spine. The prospect of being trapped with no way out sent his mind racing. He exchanged a quick glance with Aurelia, who still held a flicker of hope in her eyes, but Rocco could feel the weight of Jimmy's threats looming over them.
"There's always a way," Rocco muttered under his breath, though doubt gnawed at him. The thought of being locked in the mansion with no escape was suffocating. He couldn't let fear consume him; they had to think strategically.
Aurelia leaned closer to Rocco, her voice low. "If we can find a way to distract them, maybe while they're preparing for the meetingโ"
"Even if you manage to create a distraction," Jimmy interrupted, a gleam of amusement in his eyes, "you still won't get far. Trust me, I have eyes everywhere. My men are always watching. Plus, Xander will still be here with you both. Only Zen will accompany me to my meeting. Xander will follow you wherever you go to make sure you don't cause any trouble."
Rocco clenched his fists, anger bubbling. "Won't you at least uncuff us?" he asked, almost yelling at Jimmy.
He laughed. "Now that isย one freedom I can give you. Xander. Uncuff them."
As Xander started to uncuff Rocco, he reminded himself to have self-control and not to rattle Jimmy's senses by giving him a powerful blow.
"You can't keep us here forever!" Rocco challenged.
Jimmy smirked. "You really think you can outsmart me? Cute, but you think of yourself too highly. Now if you'll excuse me, I have an important meeting to attend."
As he turned away with Zen right behind him, Rocco felt a surge of determination. They needed to find a way to turn the tables, to use Jimmy's overconfidence against him. He glanced back at Aurelia, their silent understanding reinforcing the resolve in his heart. They might be trapped for now, but he wouldn't give up. Not when there was still a chance.